It's been confirmed that Clive is to be one of the writers featured in the lineup in this year's Listowel Writer's Festival which runs from May the 31st to June the 4th. I'm told that he'll be there on Thursday the June the 1st.

He does get around doesn't he? I think he is out in Australia in July, and while he is in the west he will be fronting the WA Symphony Orchestra. Not singing his favourite opera arias as you might suppose, but introducing his favourite film themes, or perhaps the themes to his favourite films.

I'd rather be in Listowel to tell you the truth. My interest in film themes ended somewhere around "Clockwork Orange", mainly due to logistical reasons that have meant I don't see many films.

Listowel or Lios Tuathail, as it is in the Irish, - it means the fort (lios) of the (family) Tuathal or Toole- is a small, thriving and picturesque market town situated north of County Kerry in Ireland. If you wish to get some idea what it might look like click here.

The place was put on the literary map by the dramitist, novelist and short story writer John B Keane, whose only work people outside Ireland are likely to be familiar with is the play The Field which, in 1990, was brought to the big screen by Jim (In the Name of the Father) Sheridan with Richard Harris (Oscar nominated), Tom Berenger, John Hurt and Brenda Fricker in leading roles.

Keane spent almost all his working life in the town, and the pub he ran with his wife was still operating when I was last visiting. I'm told that depite Keane's death it remains a very popular stopping off place for people visiting that part of the world and wishing imbibe a good pint of the black stuff in surroundings that give more than a hint of what the Ireland of the forties and fifties, the Ireland I came to adulthood in, felt and looked like.

People who have followed the fortunes of the well-known journalist and broadcaster Fergal Keane will probably be aware that he is John B's nephew. and they will also know that he has frequently written about visits to Listowel, Kerry and his uncle and of the ways in which those visits have shaped his outlook.

Information about the 36th Listowel Writers Week can be found here [link]

My apologies for the duff link I provided in my first posting on this subject. I'm not quite certain when or how that extra and unnecessary forward slash crept into the original link, but creep in it did. Once again, I apologise to all who may have been inconvenienced by its being there.